Tag: Joe Musgrove

Pirates Throw In The (terrible) Towel

~ Dave Ettinger ~ 1 Comment

MLB: Baltimore Orioles at Pittsburgh Pirates

The dirtiest, 4-letter word in professional sports has crept its way into Major League Baseball.

Cleveland Browns fans simply know it as the “T” word. This word is banned from schools in Philadelphia, as it makes 76ers fans quiver in fear. Parents, please shield your children’s eyes….

TANK.

To TANK is the act of losing intentionally. In the NFL and NBA, teams TANK in an attempt to secure the #1 pick in the draft. This can be a quick and effective way to turn a franchise around (if done right). In MLB, TANKING isn’t common. MLB teams generally become “sellers” at the midseason trade deadline by trading away expiring contracts and veteran players. This allows teams to restock their farm systems in order to rebuild for the future. However, it isn’t often that a team enters a season in full TANK mode.

Enter the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Over the past 3 days, the Pittsburgh Pirates have traded away 2 of their best players; Gerrit Cole and Andrew McCutchen. And something tells me they’re not done moving anything not nailed down.

Gerrit Cole

For real this time. After a fake report that Cole had been traded to the Houston Astros Wednesday, Cole was actually traded to the Houston Astros Saturday.

Astros Get: P Gerrit Cole

Pirates Get: P Joe Musgrove, P Michael Feliz, 3B Colin Moran, OF Jason Martin

Cole, 27, doesn’t become an unrestricted free agent until 2020. This is a great deal for the defending World Series Champion, Houston Astros, as they bolster an already formidable starting rotation (the Yankees’ fan inside me is screaming at the top of his lungs). The Pirates, however, elected for quantity over quality.

Joe Musgrove has bounced between the starting rotation and bullpen, struggling in his 2 years in MLB. Michael Feliz is a strikeout machine, reliever whose career e.r.a. (5.13) doesn’t match his talent. Colin Moran, the former #6 pick in the 2013 draft, has yet to be given a chance to prove himself. Colin, your chance is here. Jason Martin, a former 8th round pick, has showed flashes of a solid speed/power combo between Single-A and Double-A.

Andrew McCutchen

Monday afternoon, McCutchen followed Cole out the door, making his way to San Francisco.

Giants Get: OF Andrew McCutchen (Pirates will pay $2.5 million of $14.75 million owed in 2018)

Pirates Get: P Kyle Crick, OF Bryan Reynolds, $500,000 International Bonus Pool Space

Despite McCutchen’s talent, he is potentially a rental, as he becomes an unrestricted free agent in 2019. The Giants hope he can return to his 2013 NL MVP form.

Kyle Crick is a hard-throwing, middle reliever. He carries potential to be a staple in the Pirates’ bullpen if he can work out his control issues. Bryan Reynolds, drafted in the 2nd round of the 2016 draft, is a solid average hitter with stolen base potential.

With the Pirates not picking up any star prospects in these trades, expect a slow, probably painful, rebuild in Pittsburgh.

 

What do you think of these trades?? How would you feel if your team decided to TANK?? Post your thoughts in the comment section below.

You can now find me on the Radio too. Download the TuneIn Radio App and search OWWR. I’ll be on live every Wednesday from 6:00 P.M. – 8:00 P.M EST. I also broadcast every show on Facebook Live via my DaveTalksSports.com Facebook Page: http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports .

Since you enjoy my writing, follow me on twitter @DaveEttinger2 or like my page on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports. You can also Subscribe to my YouTube Channel: DaveTalksSports. Thanks for reading!! Now go tell all your friends!!

 

 

Nothing Better Than Game 7!!

~ Dave Ettinger ~ Leave a comment

dodgers-force-decisive-game-7-with-narrow-win-over-astros-1

Okay. So, you all got what you wanted: Game 7. Well, all except the Houston Astros and their fans. But everyone else, everyone else got what they wanted. Another do-or-die situation. It’s the best term in sports; Game 7.

Wednesday night’s Game 7 will stand as the 38th in World Series history, and the 2nd in as many years. The question is, will we get a clunker like 1956 or an unforgettable masterpiece like 1960??

To understand where we are, we must look at how we get here…. 

“Oh, now he’s a philosophizer.”

I feel bad for those who fell into a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup induced coma in the 5th inning. You missed yet another comeback by the Los Angeles Dodgers. Justin Verlander, with a 1-0 lead, had a 1-hit gem going.

Then, the 6th inning happened: Single, Hit By Pitch, Double, Sacrifice Fly.

And just like that, a 1-0 lead became a 2-1 deficit.

Verlander got through the inning but would be the end of his evening. Joe Musgrove was brought in to cough up a solo home run to Joc Pederson. 3-1 is where it would stay. Following Dave Roberts’ quick hook of starter, Rich Hill, the Dodgers went to the familiar combination of Brandon Morrow, Tony Watson, Kenta Maeda, and Kenley Jansen to slam the door on the Astros. This 4-man wrecking crew would allow just 1 hit and 1 walk through 4 and 2/3 innings. Jansen, aka Super-Closer, will be available for Game 7 despite a 2-inning save. All I have to say is, 2 innings, 19 pitches, and 18 strikes. Boom!

Game 7 will be played tonight at 8:20 P.M. EST on FOX. Lance McCullers Jr. will face off against Yu Darvish for all the marbles. I look forward to having a fist fight with my eyelids.

Who wins tonight?? Post your prediction, with the score, in the comment section below.

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Halloween was a busy day in the sports world. 4 P.M. EST marked the trade deadline in the NFL. A handful of names were on the move. Some trades were good, some were bad, and some may effect your fantasy football team. However, we must take this moment in history to make fun of the Cleveland Browns. I know, I know. They’re an easy target. But some things can’t be ignored.

Did you ever do something….but not actually do it?? Yeah I know that doesn’t make sense, but the Cleveland Browns figured out how to accomplish whatever it is I’m saying. The Browns traded for Cincinnati Bengals’ backup quarterback, A.J. McCarron on Tuesday. The Bengals would receive a 2nd and 3rd round pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, and McCarron would receive a slow, painful death sentence otherwise known as the starting quarterback of the Cleveland Browns.

The Bengals sent all the necessary paperwork to the Browns as well as the NFL approximately 20 minutes prior to the deadline. The Browns sent paperwork to the Bengals, but left out the only part that matters….SENDING PAPERWORK TO THE NFL!!

No trade is official until it’s signed, sealed, and delivered to the NFL. Yeah, I went there. As dumb as my New York Jets are, I am confident that ONLY the Cleveland Browns can figure out how to make a trade without actually making a trade….

Notable Trades:

Carolina Panthers traded Kelvin Benjamin to the Buffalo Bills for a 3rd and 7th-round picks (2018)

Miami Dolphins traded Jay Ajayi to the Philadelphia Eagles for a 4th-round pick (2018)

Buffalo Bills traded Marcell Dareus to the Jacksonville Jaguars for a 6th-round pick (2018)

Are the Cleveland Browns the most poorly run franchise in sports history?? If not, please tell me in the comment section below.

 

You can now find me on the Radio too. Download the TuneIn Radio App and search OWWR. I’ll be on live every Wednesday from 6:10 P.M. – 8:00 P.M EST. I also broadcast every show on Facebook Live via my DaveTalksSports.com Facebook Page: http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports .

Since you enjoy my writing, follow me on twitter @DaveEttinger2 or like my page on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/DaveTalksSports. You can also Subscribe to my YouTube Channel: DaveTalksSports. Thanks for reading!! Now go tell all your friends!!